1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to boot management, and, more particularly to boot methods, computer systems, and production methods thereof.
2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art
With the development of IT (Information Technology), computer systems are widely used by enterprises and individuals. In a conventional boot procedure, POST (Power On Self Test) operations are first performed after a computer system is powered on. Then, BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is loaded to perform hardware detection and related initializations thereto. Then, BIOS retrieves partition information in MBR (Master Boot Record), finds an active and primary partition therein, and transfers an execution right to the partition. A boot loader in the partition boots the computer system according to a normal boot procedure of the OS (Operating System), entering the computer system into a working state. Generally, the normal boot procedure requires 30 seconds to several minutes.
Additionally, in addition to conventional functions that a computer can provide, most computer systems have integrated many additional functions for the purpose of entertainment. In practice, when users use a computer system for multimedia, the computer system functions solely as an electronic multimedia device, and is expected to boot speedily. Conventionally, the computer system must boot according to the normal boot procedure, and execute related application programs to play multimedia. The normal boot procedure of the computer system takes a long time, loading numerous application programs and drivers and enabling initial settings. In another conventional procedure, related application programs and peripheral hardware corresponding to the specified multimedia functions are triggered by BIOS, and controlled to play back by a specific micro-controller. The software/firmware, however, is dependent on the hardware, and must be designed for respective hardware. Therefore, commercial and popular application programs on the market cannot be applied directly, resulting in high cost and low flexibility.
Further, users always turn off electronic multimedia devices directly. The computer system, however, requires a specific procedure to turn off, without which, data or OS in the partition may be damaged. Unfortunately, no mechanism is provided to protect the computer system.